Policies

Cleanroom New User Training

All users are required to take a mandatory EHS Lab Safety training, lab-specific cleanroom safety training, and instrument specific training. A thorough understanding of the risks in the lab and mitigation steps are critical for the safety of each user. Training must be documented in Bluebook which is kept in L52 Rudolph Hall.

Following steps are required before Instrument specific training is scheduled:

1. Submit training request online (link)
2. Complete EHS training (link). Training date must be within last 12 months.
3. Self-read cleanroom training documents (Safety Presentation, Safety Manual)
4. Take online quiz (quiz link). Submission will also serves as an alternate way to signing a bluebook.
5. Complete COVID-19 Learn@Work training. Send certificate to IMSE staff
6. Review policy changes and User Notice due to COVID-19
7. User agreement signed by PI
8. Complete new account registration on iLab
9. Download mobile App for documenting actual instrument usage (iOS Mobile App, Android Mobile App)

L27 lab New User Training

All users are required to take a mandatory EHS Lab Safety training, lab-specific safety training, and instrument specific training. A thorough understanding of the risks in the lab and mitigation steps are critical for the safety of each user. Training must be documented in Bluebook which is kept in L52 Rudolph Hall.

Following steps are required before Instrument specific training is scheduled:

1. Submit training request online (link)
2. Complete EHS training (link). Training date must be within last 12 months.
3. Self-read training documents. Submission will also serves as an alternate way to signing a bluebook.
4. Complete COVID-19 Learn@Work training. Send certificate to IMSE staff
5. Review policy changes and User Notice due to COVID-19
6. User agreement signed by PI
7. Complete new account registration on iLab
8. Download mobile App for documenting actual instrument usage (iOS Mobile App, Android Mobile App)

Cleanroom lab annual refresher training

Each cleanroom lab user is required to do following each year (usually by July 1st):

1. Self-read cleanroom training documents (Safety Presentation, Safety Manual)
2. Take online quiz (quiz link). Submission will also serves as an alternate way to signing a bluebook.
3. Read Safety Data Sheets (SDS) of chemicals in use (link). NOTE: SDS can also be accessed by scanning QR code on chemical container
4. Complete COVID-19 Learn@Work training. Send certificate to IMSE staff
5. Review policy changes and User Notice due to COVID-19

L27 lab Annual refresher training

Each L27 lab user is required to do following each year (usually by July 1st):

1. Self-read training documents. Submission will also serves as an alternate way to signing a bluebook.
2. Read Safety Data Sheets (SDS) of chemicals in use (link). NOTE: SDS can also be accessed by scanning QR code on chemical container
3. Complete COVID-19 Learn@Work training. Send certificate to IMSE staff
4. Review policy changes and User Notice due to COVID-19

After-hour work policy

IMSE strongly encourage users to plan their experiments during normal working hours. No IMSE staff available after-hours. WashU Safety response may be delayed as well.

All after-hours work (including weekends and holidays) must be reviewed by your PI and approved by IMSE staff. IMSE requires the buddy system during any after-hours work. The Buddy should be a trained cleanroom user and familiar with IMSE safety protocols. Users must submit a request online via After-Hours Clean Room Use Form before 3 PM. Emails sent after 3 PM will not be reviewed until the next working day. To gain after hours access to the clean room you will need to check out a swipe card from either Rahul Gupta (Rudolph L27A) or Beth Gartin (Rudolph L52). Swipe cards must be returned the following business day or the user will be charged a $25 "lost card" fee.

Equipment Reservations

iLab (link) reservation system is our preferred method of scheduling time on each Equipment. If you can not make a reservation, please see IMSE staff (this is usually when your equipment specific training has not been completed for independent use).

Besides iLab reservation system, each user is also required to log actual usage time on equipment via mobile App (iOS App link, Android App link). If there is issue with connectivity, time can be logged on paper sheets placed near each equipment.

IMSE will bill for the maximum usage time. For example, if you reserve equipment from 9 AM to 10 AM on Equipment A, but your actual usage was from 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM. User will incur a charge from 9 AM to 10:30 AM

Any misuse of scheduling/log system may lead to 8 hour equipment charge (also listed in User agreement)

Note for certain use cases:

• Lift-off: If you perform overnight or long lift-off experiments, please book two 15 min reservations on iLab. Place chemical name, your name, phone number, date on (or near) the container. Use App for documenting actual use. Heating should be turned off after 5 PM. For example, if you reserve 9-9:15AM on Day 1 and 12-12:15PM on Day 2 for overnight lift-off, following should be recorded. NOTE: IMSE will typically bill you for 30 min for such lift-off experiments.
  • On iLab: Book one researvation from 9 to 9:15AM on Day 1, and second reservation from 12 to 12:15 PM on Day 2.
  • On App: Sign in at 9 AM on Day 1, and Sign out at 12:15 PM on Day 2. Record lift-off in Comments.


• Overnight pump down: If you make reservations that require overnight pump down of equipment, please make reservation on iLab accordingly and record usage time on App. For example, if a reservation is planned on the Thermal Evaporator with sample loading from 4:30 PM to 5 PM on Day 1, and actual experiment from 8 AM to 9 AM on Day 2, following should be recorded:
  
  • On iLab: Book one reservation starting from 4:30 PM (day 1) to 9 AM (day 2) on iLab. Check the pricing for each hour to make sure that you are not charged for after-hour (See example here). NOTE: IMSE will bill for any time (including pump down time) from 8 AM to 5 PM (exceptions may be made on case-by-case basis).
  • On App: Sign in at 4:30 PM on Day 1, and Sign out at 9 AM on Day 2. Record overnight pumpdown in comments. You may use comments to share issues with the experiment or requesting time adjustments.


• Booking CR100 room: Considering the difficulties in planning every step of experiment on equipments in Class 100 Cleanroom, IMSE is allowing approved users to book this room on iLab (listed as 'Class 100 Cleanroom' on iLab.). Following guidelines must be followed in using this service:
  
  • This is typically reserved when you are planning several instruments for your fabrication and/or may anticipate process issues when developing a new fabrication process.
  • You must write in reservation comment on expected instrument use (e.g. 15 min spin coater, 30 min solvent hood, 45 min laser writer, etc.)
  • You must use QR App to document each instrument use (paper sheets not allowed for this). You can document time changes in App comment.
  • You should plan your total time to be close to expected usage hours (e.g. you cannot reserve for 2 hours if your planned use is estimated to be only 1 hr. 15-30 min buffer is expected).
  • You will be charged for both the room and equipment if you chose to use this service.
  • Any abuse will lead to loss of access to this service.
  • Explanation on how Class 100 room reservation can save costs/complexities to users
  • For example, if you plan to use Spin coater, Solvent hood, and Laser writer from 9-12PM, following should be recorded.
  • On iLab: Book one reservation on 'Class 100 Cleanroom' equipment starting from 9AM to 12 PM iLab. In note section, list details of your work (e.g. 15 min spin coater, 30 min solvent hood, 45 min laser writer, etc.)
  • On App: Sign in at 9 AM on Spin coater and Sign out at 9:30 AM, and so on for other equipments.

Rates

IMSE Consumables cost
NOTE: IMSE may be able to faciliate purchase of chemicals and supplies that are owned by a research group.

For Equipment rates, please contact IMSE staff